The Supreme Court of the Philippines on Wednesday, January 7, announced that 5,594 examinees passed the 2025 Bar Examinations, posting a 48.98 percent passing rate, as Bar chairperson Associate Justice Amy C. Lazaro-Javier credited a “reasonable” standard of assessment, careful selection of examiners, and strong institutional support for the results.

The Bar examination results were announced at the Supreme Court courtyard in Manila, where families, law graduates, and supporters gathered to await the official outcome.

Lazaro-Javier said the Court approved a passing grade of 75 percent and stressed that the standard was not adjusted.

“This means we did not adjust the passing grade,” Lazaro-Javier said, adding that she did not set any target passing rate but reminded examiners to adhere to reasonableness in evaluating answers.

Out of 13,193 registered applicants, 11,425 examinees completed the three-day Bar Examinations held on September 7, 10, and 14 across 14 testing centers nationwide. The number of passers was significantly higher than in 2024, when only 3,962 examinees passed and the passing rate stood at 37.84 percent.

Topping the 2025 Bar Examinations was Jhenroniel Rhey Timola Sanchez of the University of the Philippines, who earned an overall rating of 92.70 percent. He was followed by Spinel Albert Allauigan Declaro of the University of Santo Tomas–Manila with 92.46 percent, and Alaiza Agatep Adviento, also from UST–Manila, with 91.91 percent.

Other top performers came from De La Salle–Lipa, Ateneo de Manila University, the University of San Jose–Recoletos, the University of La Salette, Inc., and the University of the Philippines, reflecting representation from both Metro Manila and regional law schools.

Lazaro-Javier cited Declaro’s experience as an example for examinees who did not pass, noting that he first took the Bar more than a decade earlier and succeeded only after deciding to try again. She also recounted the case of another former examinee who persevered through personal difficulties before eventually passing, saying such stories showed that failure in the Bar was temporary and did not define a person’s worth or future.

Lazaro-Javier said her goal as Bar chair was to administer an examination that tested what examinees knew rather than what they did not know, and to give them a “good fighting chance.”

She said examiners were provided with a clear rubric for point allocation based on clarity, conciseness, logic, and grammar, stressing that there were no “give-away” questions and that all answers were graded under the same standards.

She added that the Supreme Court sought to make examinees feel supported throughout the process, emphasizing that the Bar should not be feared nor seen as a measure of a person’s dignity or integrity, but simply as a qualifying examination.

Lazaro-Javier also expressed gratitude to court officials, personnel, volunteers, the Bar team, and the families and communities who supported the examinees, describing the Bar as a collective effort rather than an individual achievement.

The Supreme Court’s Public Information Office was directed to publish the complete list of Bar passers on the Court’s website, official communication channels, designated mirror sites, and LED screens installed at the Supreme Court courtyard. Individual grades and results were to be released through examinees’ Barista accounts by early evening.

The oath-taking and signing of the Roll of Attorneys for successful examinees are scheduled on 6 February 2026, at the Philippine Arena.

The 2025 Bar Examinations covered 14 subjects, with Legal and Judicial Ethics and Remedial Law carrying the heaviest weight. Lazaro-Javier said the exams featured expanded use of technology and logistical innovations and proceeded without major incidents, despite September traditionally being marked by severe weather.